Ousback’s Grilled Pepper and Apple Relish / Chutney

I am not sure where I first came across Ousback’s recipe — he was very popular with Vogue Entertainment Magazine around the mid 1990, so perhaps it was there. Anders Ousback was well known as a lover of food and wine, and this relish of his was also well known and loved. He was influential in the Sydney food scene, and influenced many chefs and restaurant owners. This recipe of his has stood the test of time, and is as wonderful today as it was back then.

There were several variations of the Grilled Pepper Relish. The one below is the one that I love because of its freshness and the wonderful taste of the spices it includes.

I am sure the recipe that Anders used has provenance. You can see the origins in Elizabeth David’s Red Pepper Relish. And there are infinite purees and pastes of roasted red peppers, such as Serbian Ajvar, an Eggplant and Roasted Red Pepper Relish.

methodHeat oil in a pan over low heat. Cook the onions until limp. Add the apple and spices and cook until some colour develops.

Add the currants, brown sugar, port and vinegar and cook for a further 5 – 10 minutes on higher heat until you reach low tide.

Add the grilled capsicums and any of their cooking liquid. Cook for another 10 minutes or so.

While hot from the stove, pile into jars that have been filled with boiling water and emptied just prior to filling with relish. Put the lids on and cool and store in the fridge. It lasts a couple of months, unless you eat it all in a weekend.

This produces a “fresh” tasting relish. If you prefer a relish that will last far longer and has a “longer cooked” taste, add a little more port and vinegar, and cook very slowly for an hour before placing into jars. If you wish to do this, it is best to double or triple the recipe.

This is such a great chutney, even if you don’t usually eat relishes/chutneys. The mix of mustard, cinnamon, star anise makes it quite unusual. Spread it on a rustic loaf of bread. It goes well with cheese. Eat it with cheese and a salad for a light lunch. Pile it over BBQ’d vegetables. Have it on toast for breakfast.

This recipe is one of the vegetarian recipes from our first blog which was in existence from 1995 – 2006. It is cross posted on our sister site, Heat in the Kitchen, as part of the Retro Recipes series.

a quiet kitchen

Obsession is one of the character traits of perfectionism. I define it as a focus on an activity or item to the exclusion of all other contextual factors. Perfectionists at work, for example, might pursue

The colour of Winter is green, I have decided, sitting here at the desk, looking out to the park across the road. Spring is pink, Summer blue, and Autumn is golden, but Winter is green. The flurry of colour